


Friends and Birthdays

by clarkjoekent



Category: Naruto
Genre: Developing Friendships, F/M, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:41:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21566263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarkjoekent/pseuds/clarkjoekent
Summary: Sai remembers some things from his past
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Yamato | Tenzou, Sai/Yamanaka Ino, if you squint, if you squint real hard - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Friends and Birthdays

**Author's Note:**

> Ah it's Sai's birthday and I felt like writing something fluffy. I love Sai.

Sai would celebrate birthdays with Shin before Danzo let it be known that emotions are to be eradicated. Birthdays also make people aware of their humanity. Shin was upset but Sai just pushed it aside.

As the years went on and at the loss of Shin, Sai decided to celebrate each year he was alive. Not necessarily a birthday, but while everyone was celebrating the new year he would make a little time to remember he lived. He forgot his actual birthday over time. Shin was better at remembering important dates. Danzo started sending him on more dangerous missions the older he got. A few of them, he almost lost his life.

Then one day he was called into the Hokage's office, he was told not to wear his ANBU mask. Lady Tsunade and someone who should be familiar was in the office expecting him. She wanted him and the man - Yamato she called him - to replace two members of Team 7. Team Kakashi. Yamato paled at the name and nodded. Lady Tsunade gave Yamato a knowing look before smiling at Sai. She made sure he was aware that Naruto was the Nine Tails and he was to be watched, just in case anything happens. "His seal is weak," she said. Sai knew as soon as Danzo caught wind of him being on the team, he would be forced to spy. He didn't care, anything to get him to survive another year.

Next he met Kakashi, at the hospital, he looked close to death, something Sai has seen all too often. Yamato was asking all kinds of questions and Kakashi was answering, he sounded slightly annoyed. _This is Kakashi of the Sharingan, The Best ANBU Captain, the famed Copy Nin?_ Sai decided that he was important to watch.

Yamato left Sai alone after he refused to answer some questions, it's not like he really couldn't, he just didn't know the answers. He had gotten rid of his worldly emotions and possessions so there was no memory. Yamato told him that he was in ROOT too until Kakashi pulled him out. He said it took him a while to actually blend in and regain all of his emotions, luckily for him Kakashi got him out when he was only seven. Not much to unlearn. Yamato told Sai that he was there if he needed anything and then vanished.

Like clockwork Danzo made Sai spy on Naruto and Kakashi. Danzo was biting to get Kakashi's sharingan and he wanted the Nine Tails all to himself. Sai never questioned, just moved on. His target was acquired and he stuck to them like glue.

The Intel retrieval mission was a disaster to say the least. Sasuke threw a wrench into things and Naruto almost lost it. Worst of all Sai had told Sakura his story, he's been compromised. He wasn't expecting a celebration at the new year.

Kakashi had caught on to his spying game and instead of telling Tsunade, he sat him down and told Sai about finding Yamato - Tenzo he called him - and how he almost lost his path. Squaring up to Danzo always ended in death, or so Sai thought. Being near Naruto and Sakura and learning how to be their friend, he was able to gain back some emotions he thought were long gone.

Kakashi had shown up one day during training, with a little walnut cake, for Yamato, who almost cried. Kakashi just smiled and said Happy Gotcha Day. The day Kakashi got Yamato out of ROOT.

Yamato got Sai a cake and said the same thing a few months later, after Lady Tsunade made his assignment permanent. She made a point to look at Yamato and Kakashi after she said it too. Sai had his suspicions that Naruto and Sakura had a say in it as well.

He was able to wiggle away from Danzo thanks to the new team - his team - and Yamato had helped him try and connect. Yamato even let him stay with him at his apartment. He said "I had a spare room so why not." He let Sai borrow books and scrolls to learn about emotions. He laughed that they were for Kakashi. Sai laughed with him. It was forced but he was trying. Yamato just patted him on the back and left him alone.

He was able to celebrate his yearly survival for a few more times before Naruto asked him when his birthday was. He didn't know. Sakura kept asking how he didn't know and all Sai did was shrug. He noticed that when Kakashi wanted anyone to leave him alone he'd shrug and walk away.

So a month or two later he was perplexed when Naruto and Sakura, as well as the rest of their friends showed up on his doorstep. They had food and a cake. It didn't sound right, his release from ROOT date was a few months ago. Ino pushed past him and the others followed inside. He closed the door and watched as everyone set out the food and drinks, Shikamaru brought out a bottle of sake. Yamato was on a mission with Kakashi so there's no reason for them to be there. He tried to explain this to Naruto who only laughed.

"It's your Birthday, so we gathered up everyone and we are going to celebrate." Naruto's eyes lit up.

"How do you know my birthday?" Sai didn't even know his, he was thinking about asking Yamato but it never was all that important to him. 

"We bothered Lady Tsunade so much that she gave us the date." said Choji, his mouth was full of sushi.

"But why would you want to celebrate it with me?"

The group looked at Sai like he had several heads. Kiba spoke up.  "Because we're friends." Kiba looked so sure that they were all friends and even Neji smiled and nodded. 

Sai realized that they were here for him, and that he had friends, real friends he didn't have to assume. He remembered when Yamato would talk about Kakashi, and how he saved him. Kakashi would say the same about Yamato, with the same fondness. He never understood it until now.

"Friends." he smiled, tears threatening to come to the surface. Shin had always talked about them getting friends, and now he has them. He's been living life just relieved to survive another year that he forgot how to actually smile.

He made sure to never forget his first birthday with his friends. Everyone was drunk and asleep when he told them he loved them. His birthdays were always celebrated after that day, with his friends, his wife, and even his son. He marked his birthday as the day he stopped living for the system, and started living for himself.


End file.
